Since Jeff's jamboree takes the place of (or consolidates) the Outer Limits clave, old man winter is racing toward the region, large hungry fish are migrating south, and &lt;pick your own rationalizations here&gt; there is no reason why we can not keep the Rhodyfest tradition alive in 2000. Anyway - nuptial bliss is over-rated and marriages can heal over the non-fishing months to come. http://216.71.206.188/images/flytalk/Wilk.gif

I am going to be visiting British Columbia for steelhead in October sometime and Art Burton, our resident Rhody statesman, needs us to provide firm dates to plan some special arrangements he may be able to provide for the clave crew.

So, let's open the floor for discussion.

<font color="0000ff">I've fished the breachways in November with great success before. Heck, there were even blues in the surf. The part of the day that was comfortable was so short that it makes no sense - but I just wanted to mention that to say it's not too late even if it goes to Halloween.

If we camp at Burlingame the sooner the better, it gets cold quick. I would probably bite the bullet and grab a cheap motel in Westerly.

To make it worthwhile, an overnight would be ideal - but the drive is only slightly more than the Cape for me and a day trip wouldn't be out of the question.

I plan this to be the final clave of 2000, a farewell to an incredible season, a last bite of dessert before ending the feast, a time to look over the water and feel good about what was and what will be in 2001.

I hope we can work out arrangements to include as many of the great faces in this community as possible.</font><!--color-->

Then it will be time to catch up on all the backlogged photo journals since May... Aye caruma! (just wait till you see the photos, AWESOME)

Bob Pink

09-26-2000, 09:34 PM

juro,
I've fished the s.county coast until early december in years past with good success. (Last year notwithstanding!) I agree that the earlier the better but it doesn't have to be over then either.

I was kind of thinking 10/21 - 10/22, what do other people think of this date? I think sooner may be better then later. It was not a very warm summer & I think we are already seeing the early signs of migration (based on NH, PI & Haba recent reports). Well I've thrown out a date, if there's enough interest, let's call Burlingame & reserve some cabins!

Lefty

09-27-2000, 09:51 AM

I'm with Greg on this one. Oct. 21-22. Last years Rhodyfest saw fishing on the slow side. If not for the Weakaslabog Blitz and the schoolies in Watch Hill harbor we would have had nill. I say earlier in this cold year. But then again, I've been wrong before.....

Terry

juro

09-27-2000, 01:03 PM

Well Terry I would agree but...

The beachfront between Watch Hill and Napatree produced a big blue and a big bass for Jim and Skip, so they were cruising the stretch. Also, I watched a guy drag a 30+ pounder from Napatree Point the day we stopped and played with the schoolies at the cove. He said they were hitting poppers like gangbusters from daybreak to 9am all around the rocks at the end when he kept the big cow and walked back to the lot. He also says he lost a *really* big one... but settled for the one he landed. I can only imagine. If I had been there with a big pogie pattern, or slid a south rip eel in the tideflow, or threw a huge calamari foam banger in the chop or...

Let's just say I would do things differently today.

GregO lost a big bass on the Weakapaug jetty the night before and a few were caught that night.

JimW

09-27-2000, 02:10 PM

My vote is for the weekend of October 21 & 22. Last years Rhody fest was the first clave I attended and I enjoyed every minute, although carrying that big fish to the car was tough. None of that bait fishing this year, I have been converted. I'll most likely be camping at the state park down there Fri the 20th - Sun the 22nd. I really enjoy the camping aspect of the claves so barring white stuff I'll be camping, if this works out for a central meeting/eating place great, if we decide to go the Restaurant route that works too.

grego

09-27-2000, 02:15 PM

&gt;&gt;GregO lost a big bass on the Weakapaug jetty the night before and a few were caught that night.

I actually didn't loose a big one the first night; the guy 2 rocks over from me hooked & landed a 47" MONSTER!!

I concur that the fishing was memorable last year, but this year may be different. I think that the fall push may be earlier than last year, but I'm no expert.

Ok I forgot about these 2. Funny both Chuck and Jim have been heard from today. And, it's not fair to count fish caught from non-clavers! I still hold that it was a bit slow compared to the typical clave. Considering that we had groups spread out on all the breachways from Charlestown to Napetree talking by cell phone, not a lot was happening. But maybe I need a sports psychologist, ya know, glass half full stuff. I still think I'm a realist. Anyway, in a cold year it's folly to push it into Nov.
http://216.71.206.188/rhodyfest/rhodypics/jims/StripedBlue.jpg

i'm so outta here

09-27-2000, 03:28 PM

With the Fall season, it's hit or miss. I'm not 100% convinced we are actually looking at an early migration. I like the tides and the new moon of the 28th, but Greg's point about Halloween is well taken. My own three year old would put me in a world of sh%t for missing him in his Captain Hook costume. I guess I have to reluctantly vote for the 21st

Terry - Jim and Chuck were most definitely members of the clave. They were in the pop up camper right next to you at Burlingame. Aside from that, they are key figures at the company that hosts our clave signup database, so watch what you say, ok, buddy http://216.71.206.188/images/flytalk/Wilk.gif

grego

09-27-2000, 03:37 PM

Al - I don't think Terry was referring to Jim & Chuck as the non-clavers. I think he was referring to the fact that Juro sited "other were catching too" should not count towards clave success.

I thought the fishing was memorable. However, I was 1 fish away from a skunk. But, on the other hand, it was my first clave & I was very inexperieced with the fly rod at that time.

BTW: I must have hit some button or something. Every time this thread gets replied to I get an automatic email from the board. HOW DO I MAKE IT STOP????????

JimW

09-27-2000, 04:15 PM

First of all I took no offense at Terry's statement. I think Terry was refering to the "A guy took a fish 5' long off a jetty with live eels" and "There was a 45lb fish caught at Napatree this morning" type of statements.
Greg, your doomed to receive emails until this thread dies. I made the mistake of checking that box on the Monomoy-I post. At least you'll be up to date.

grego

09-27-2000, 05:08 PM

Jim,
Thanks for the great news. Whoops I just generated an automatic email, D'OH!

Quentin

09-27-2000, 06:48 PM

10/21 - 10/22 works for me. People have mentioned the following weekend, but what about the prior weekend (10/14 - 10/15)???? I reviewed some of the earlier posts and didn't see anything that would exclude that weekend. Did I miss something?

Anyway, I think the 21st - 22nd would be the "same" weekend as last year's Rhodyfest. I took a ride down to the same spots the following weekend last year (Halloween weekend) and the only action I found was with a few schoolies and LOTS of shad in the Charlestown breachway. In my limited experience, an abundance of shad seems to indicate that the migration is just about over (or just beginning!). Of course, what happened last year has little to do with what may happen this year.

Quentin

P.S. - Grego,

Can't you just modify your post and unclick the "notify by email" box? Or maybe even delete the message completely and repost it?

timwatts

09-27-2000, 07:34 PM

10/21 sounds good. Never fished down that way before.

Lefty

09-27-2000, 08:12 PM

You mean those 2 blokes holding those fish were with us? http://216.71.206.188/images/flytalk/Wilk.gif
Sorry I was not more clear. I was indeed refering to the guy Grego saw pull in a cow off the jetty on night #1. I've had more than enough say on claves this year, so go with whatever works for you guys.

Jim and Chuck: I look forward to doing it again, and obviously you do too!

Terry

i'm so outta here

09-27-2000, 10:39 PM

Just razzin' Terry a bit -- sorry to have started a "thing."

I was also planting a seed regarding the signup and the clave. Was that helpful for the Boneclave or should we just stick to the board?

Quentin, I think part of the problem with the catching, or lack thereof last time was that we were too early - at least that's what I remember from campfire talks. If indeed the migration is going to be early this year, the weekend of the 14th the moon will be full (stronger tides) and high tides will be during daylight hours (warmer and not as filled with crickets). Something to think about.....

No crickets tonight. Big fish behind MMA up to Electric Ave Beach. Micros at first, but eventually found a 31" and a 27". Happiness is.

As to if it's going to happen early or not; temps are important, but so is the availability of bait. We've had a cool summer, but the bait is thicker than I remember in Septembers past. Maybe all the rain fed the estuaries with run off fertilizer?? I don't know, but if tonight was any indication, we could be catching stripers on the Cape on the 14th.

I should tell you all that this weekend is my anniversary so I do have a bias against it. I guess I can always call a mini clave for the 21st if you decide the 14th is the way to go. Don't hold back for me.

Al

artb

09-29-2000, 05:21 AM

Oct21 & 22 works for me, but I hope it is not too late. Westerly to Pt. Judith is hopping right now. I was there yesterday morning There was keepers taken on the beaches at first light. I took pictures of a bass that was 47 1/2 long, and weighed 40.445 lbs. When the fish was cleaned it had 2 1/2 lbs of junk in its belly. If you want to see the pictures e-mail me, maybe you can identify the junk. Some of it was 5 inches long. I fished Quonny Breachway for about 5 hours, nothing but 1 scup, and school bass. Lost 1 false albacore because of a frayed leader on the rocks. The false albacore only made one circle in when the tide turne to go out, I wish I could have stayed till the bottom of the tide, but couldn't.

JohnM

09-30-2000, 11:29 AM

Juro:

21 and 22 work for me......I can tell you first hand that RI is HOT !!!!!! In the month of September, I have caught 35 Albies from the beach alone along with some beautiful bass and some angry blues. There are some huge blitzes going on in the breachways and beaches. I witnessed one that lasted an hour as huge bass and blues hammered Peanut Bunker that where in a school 100 yards long and 40 yards wide.........the next day, on the same beach, 40 lb. bass and 15 to 20lb blues where litterally feet from the beach chasing bait while the albies did their blitzing thing 2 waves out. Hopefully, the warmer weather coming in will keep the bait and fish around.....